1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus having a function of classifying input images according to various attributes (or attribution), and an image processing method.
2. Related Background Art
Conventionally, in extracting a certain portion (e.g., a photograph portion or a table portion) from an image, the portion is manually designated by using an editor or the like.
In addition, the attributes of an image are classified as two portions, i.e., a photograph portion and a character portion, and methods such as image processing methods are variably used.
Extraction of a portion of a given attribute from an image, however, requires a cumbersome manual operation. In addition, since the attributes of an image can only be classified as a photograph portion and a character portion, finer processing corresponding to each attribute of the image cannot be performed.
Especially, attributes cannot be automatically classified. For this reason, edit processing in, e.g., a copying machine is complicated.
Classification of attributes is disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 771,220 (filed on Oct. 4, 1991), 787,615 (filed on Nov. 4, 1991), 832,594 (filed on Feb. 7, 1992), 832,725 (filed on Feb. 7, 1992), and 873,012 (filed on Apr. 24, 1992), and U.S. Pat. No. 5,303,381 issued on Apr. 12, 1994.
There is, however, room for improvement in application to a copying machine.
Especially, there is room for improvement in operability and apparatus arrangement.